


Keep Smiling Through

by engagemythrusters



Category: Doctor Who (2005), Torchwood
Genre: Dancing, Friendship, Gen, Jack and Martha are friends, Post-Series 03: Children of Earth (Torchwood), Pre-Episode: s04e17-e18 The End of Time, Weddings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-18
Updated: 2020-11-18
Packaged: 2021-03-09 17:53:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,703
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27620291
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/engagemythrusters/pseuds/engagemythrusters
Summary: Usually, you would expect your friends to show up to the wedding. But the reception works, too. Better late than never, after all.
Relationships: Jack Harkness & Martha Jones, Martha Jones/Mickey Smith
Comments: 10
Kudos: 69





	Keep Smiling Through

Her eyes drifted down to her left ring finger every few minutes, and the small and brilliant diamond on its sparkling silver band made her giddy every time she saw it. Add to that the fact that the hand was often accompanied by her husband’s own, his fingers wrapped around or laced in hers, and her smile stayed locked on her face. She was certain she’d never smiled so much in her life. Her cheeks almost ached, but she simply could not stop grinning.

“You look amazing,” Mickey said.

“So do you,” Martha replied, beaming at him.

“Nah, I’m sure I look like a mound of bricks,” he said. She laughed. “But really. That dress… it looks stunning on you.”

“Flatterer,” she said.

“Always.” He nodded at the dance floor. “Come on. If we don’t get back in there soon, I’ll be forced to dance with someone else again, and we both know how that’s going to go.”

“I suppose I can save you from yourself,” she teased, getting to her feet.

Something they had learned as they’d planned the wedding was that Mickey had two left feet. The most the two of them could do was a shambling sway around the dance floor, but she didn’t care. She’d marry this man if he _literally_ had two left feet—the inability to perform an adequate waltz meant nothing to her.

Resting her head on his shoulder, Martha felt a calm wash over her. It had been a long day of morning stress, afternoon excitement, and evening jubilation. Right now, though, she could relax in the arms of her new husband, lulled by their gentle movements, slowly stepping round and round their place on the dance floor.

She didn’t remember choosing this song. They must be on the guest suggestions, then. Still, it was nice. Whoever chose it had good taste. She drew her head back and looked up into Mickey’s striking dark eyes.

“I think I’ll remember this as long as I live,” Mickey told her.

“I should hope so,” she said. “I mean, it is our wedding.”

“No, I mean… you, in my arms,” he said.

A different sort of smile cut across her face then, and she tilted her head up to sweetly kiss his lips. A camera flashed, reminding them that they weren’t alone, and she drew back. A swift follow-up kiss went to her temple, and then they returned to their dancing in peaceful silence.

The song began tapering off. Another few flashes blinded Martha, and she blinked quickly to dissipate the white spots in her vision.

That was when she spotted the face in the crowd of observers.

She started, blinking even harder just in case it was a trick of the light or her eyes playing tricks on her. But the face remained that of Captain Jack Harkness, no matter how many times she closed her eyes. 

“Martha?” Mickey asked. “You alright?”

“Yeah…” Martha said, staring at Jack. “Yeah, I’m… I’m fine.”

Jack turned, and she watched him walk away from the throng, pressed against the wall until he reached the doors. Then he disappeared into the hallway.

“Actually,” she said, looking up at Mickey. “I need to step out for a little bit.”

“Need me to get Tish?”

“What? Why would I—oh. No, I don’t need the loo.” Her dress, while absolutely gorgeous (if she did say so herself) did require a bit of help occasionally. “It’s just… I’ll be back in a bit, okay?”

“Okay,” Mickey said. He didn’t sound so sure, but the trust relayed through his gaze.

“I’ll be back,” she promised again, then picked up her skirts a little and went after Jack.

The hall wasn’t as warm as the ballroom. The lack of a hundred-odd bodies dancing around and swarming in masses didn’t help. Martha rubbed her upper arms for the first few seconds, being careful not to damage the lace sleeves that hung just off her shoulders.

Then she spied Jack again, once more in the shadows, and she forgot all about the chill.

His smile, soft and warm, greeted her. “Martha Jones, the nightingale herself.”

“Jack!” she said, rushing to him. Well, rushing as much as heels and a wedding dress could allow for the action.

He enveloped her in a hug, and she felt something she didn’t know she was missing lock into place inside her chest. She clutched onto him, fingers digging into his wool coat. Oh, now she had a whole new reason to smile.

“How have you been?” she asked when they drew apart. “It’s been so long!”

“It has,” Jack said.

“I missed you,” she said, placing a hand on his cheek.

He smiled again, serene and tender and nothing at all his usual flashy Captain Universe grin. Conflicting emotions rose in her chest, but they settled down to contentment. No matter the other troubles he hid in those eyes, he was pleased now, and that was something she could deal with. She could be glad he was happy now.

“I’m sure you’ve heard this second only to ‘congratulations’ today, but—you look lovely,” Jack said.

“Thank you,” she said.

In the room, the next song began to play. She raised an eyebrow at Jack. Unless her mum had chosen this, the dulcet tones of Vera Lynn could only have been the request of one Jack Harkness, lover of all things old and antiquated.

Jack smirked in reply, a look that fit his face of old, then stepped back and held out his hand. “Care to dance?”

She laughed, then took his offered hand. “Anything for you, Jack.”

With a quick tug, he pulled her to him, and then expertly drove them into an elegant, elaborate step. Martha kept up with him nicely, recalling years of dance as a child.

“So,” she said as they settled into the rhythm. “What has Captain Jack Harkness been up to lately?”

“Oh, you know.” He took a deep breath in, then exhaled it in a gusty sigh. “This and that. Keeping myself busy.”

“Still out there, exploring the universe?” she asked.

“Something like that, yeah.”

“Well, keep us in mind if you find any more of those contacts,” she said. “You know, the ones I borrowed back in the day.”

“You know,” Jack said, “most people don’t ask for alien spy technology for a wedding gift.”

“Most people don’t hunt aliens with their partner,” she reminded him.

He laughed, clear and sharp, then twirled her into a spin. Her dress floated around her like a dream, and he drew her back in after, still keeping time as they resumed the dance.

“You should come inside,” she said. “Mum and Tish… they’d be so happy to see you again.”

“Mmm,” he replied, neither consenting nor objecting.

“And seeing an old face might do Mickey some good,” she added.

Jack scoffed, “Oh, this face is old, alright.”

“And still as handsome as ever,” she said, choosing to lighten the scorn.

“Ah-ah, you’re not supposed to be complimenting _me_ ,” he corrected. “It’s _your_ wedding day.”

“Well, like you said, people have been doing that all day,” she said. “Maybe I need to switch it up a bit.”

“In that case, I’d suggest we trade outfits, but I don’t think I can pull that dress off quite like you can,” he said.

“That’s a lie and you know it,” she said. “You absolutely think you can pull it off.”

“Have you seen these shoulders? Of course I could!”

Laughter bubbled out of her chest, warming her in a way that even the cold of the hallway couldn’t break through. The song began its finish, and he sent her into another elegant spin. He then drew her close again and dipped her back on the end note. They hung there for a second, taking the moment to hold onto this, to save it in their memories. Then he righted her, kissed her hand, and let her go.

“You should probably go back in,” he said. “They’ll be missing you.”

She didn’t protest the short time with him, nor did she beg him to come with her again. She knew it would do no good. Their time was up.

“Will you be alright?” she asked instead.

“It’s me,” he said. “I’m always alright.”

She didn’t believe him. “I’ll see you again, yeah?”

He didn’t reply, letting the sad twitch of his lips reply. Maybe he would, maybe he wouldn’t.

Sometimes, Martha hated that she had felt the need to befriend enigmatic time-travellers. She loved them to pieces, but they broke her heart.

“Goodbye, Martha Jones,” he said.

“Goodbye, Jack,” she said.

He raised his hand into a salute. She tipped her own fingers to her forehead in response, feeling her heart ache as she grinned. Then Jack’s hand came down in a flourish, right down to the vortex manipulator on his wrist. With a few presses of buttons and a flash of blinding light, Jack disappeared into the ether.

Martha stood for a moment, staring at the spot where Jack had been, floundering in the many emotions that threatened to overcome her.

“Your mum’s going to be disappointed.”

She whirled around to find Mickey watching from by the entry to the ballroom.

“How long have you been there?” she asked.

“Long enough,” he said. He came up beside her, placing a soothing hand on her arm.

“What Mum doesn’t know won’t hurt her,” she said. “I’m sure Jack will stop by to say hello to her someday.”

Though that was just as up in the air as a return visit to her. She just didn’t say as much.

“Come on,” Mickey said gently. “People are starting to notice you’re gone.”

She looked back to where Jack had vanished.

“Yeah,” she said after a minute. “Alright.”

Mickey’s hand enclosed around hers, and she could feel the steady reassuring pressure of that new wedding band around her finger. She glanced up at Mickey, up at the tender look he gave her, and nodded.

“Yeah,” she said again. “Let’s go.”

And then she allowed him to lead her back to the dance floor, where she would dance with him and smile until she couldn’t anymore.

**Author's Note:**

> A highly self-indulgent fic I wrote quickly because I love Jack and Martha so, so much. I would do anything for them, and their friendship is like. SO important to me. I love them.  
> Also, because I have to show everyone, [this](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1090/2828/products/Elegant-A-Line-Wedding-Dress-Off-Shoulder_large.jpg?v=1576726167) is what I imagine Martha's dress to look like.  
> Unedited. It's me--I never edit. I'm lazy.  
> Thank you for reading! Have a nice day!


End file.
